Socket wrench



Feb. 25, 1930. B. A. RUSSELL SOCKET WRENCH Filed May 5, 1927 INVENTQR B BmmARzmsel W7 ATTO 00 NEYS Patented Feb. 25, 1930 umm V-FSTATES BURTON. A. RUSSELLOF WHITE PLAINS,

NEW YORK, ASSIGNOIR OF ONE-HALF TO WALTER- T. LAMOREAUX, OF WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK SOCKET WRENCH Application filed May 5,

such as one end only is adapted to receive a 1c detachable socket, the: handle being on the other end and thesocketreceiving section is oftenvery small and insufficient to withstand the tremendous torque generated in removing 'a rusted nut. Further, the cost ofmaking such a wrench, carefully fitting a handle and machining'down the socketreceiving endis extremely high, in viewof the limited use of the usual I hracewrench and,

in certain uses, such as removing the demount- 2Q able wheels of the disc or wire type from automobiles, a multiplicity ofnut sizes are found,

some of which are often so far indented beyond the wheel hub, that it is practically impossible to reach them with the usual form of turret or other socket wrenches.

Y It is, therefore,.the principal object of this invention to producea multiple ended, socket wrench inwhich the ends of the sockets extend sufliciently far beyond the brace part as to unobstructedly reach the retaining means on demountable wheels.

' It is another object ofthis invention'to produce a more satisfactory, less expensive and more rugged bracewrench than has been heretofore produced.

It-is a further object'of this invention to provide a wrench, each end of which is adapted to receive double ended sockets, one of the sockets acting as a handle when the other is in use as a wrench thereby permitting efficient .use ofboth endsof the wrench.

It is still another object of the invention to produce" a wrench in which the socket receiving ends of the brace partare of several different sizesso that amultiplicity of combination s' of, socket s may be resiliently attached to the brace. I

y It is still another object of this invention to produce a combination brace and socket re ain whish thedenblesa ed ee ke a e 1927. Serial No. 188,913.

I resiliently held on each end of the brace member. It is a still further object of this invention to. produce a multiple ended socket for a multiple ended brace wrench in which the ends or nut receiving portions of the double ended sockets are spaced sufficiently far apart to act as handgripsand to reach greatly indented Wheel retaining'nuts.

Further objects and advantages will appear as the followingdescription illustrating one form of embodiment to'which the inventlon is adaptable, proceeds and, inwhich,

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the assembled wrench.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partially in section of the main or bracemember with parts of'the handle grip being in section. Y

F ig..3 is a longitudinal sectional View of one of the typical sockets. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross sectional View on the line 44 ofFig. 2.

- Fig. 5 isa vertical cross sectional view similar'to Fig. 4: but on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

I Fig. '6 is a cross sectional view of one of the sockets on the line 66 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 7 is an elevational View of a slightly modified form of the resilient socket receiving end of the brace. c

The brace -10 shown in Figs. 1 and 2. is bent from abar which is preferably round spring steel to provide an intermediate portion 10 over which a suitablesleeve 11 isplaced to permit a rotatable hand grip and angular side portions 10? together with end portions 12 and 14 which are in line with each other and parallel'to the-intermediate handle portion 10*. On the end 12, a socket-16 is adapted to be resiliently secured and a similar socket 18 will fit over and be retained on the end 14. It will thus be noted that a complete wrench comprises a brace 10 and two suitably secured sockets 16 and 18 on the ends thereof, the sockets being in line :with each other and either one of which may be the second handle grip for-the wrench while the other end is in use. e I

In Fig. 2, the detailedconstruction of -the handle grip 11 is shown inwhich thesleeve e-tre l i ta e en t e brass r rti n..; f

and is prevented'from undue .endwise movement by the side or bent portions 10 of the brace. Adjacent the end 12 of the wrench brace the socket receiving element is formed into two hardened polygonal sections 12v and 12 each of a difierent size correspond-' ing with the form of a standard nut on which the wrench is to be used. For example, if it is desired touse the wrench on a general class of hexagonal nuts or bolts, the sections 12 and 12 as well as the corresponding sections let and 14 will be hexagonal in shape. The sizes of the various sections will be determined by the usual size of nuts or' agonal or SAE machine nuts and bolt head V the portion 12 11/16", 12 5 /8", 14

7/8, 14 ,-3 4". adapted for all sizes between 5/8" and 7/8 This wrench is thus and is of a suitably heavy material throughout. worked out, depending entirely on the use to which the wrench is to be put and one end might be. adapted for square nuts or one side could be very large and the other very small. It might be desirable to broach or otherwise form each socket end of two sizes, and. with each brace end. being of two sizes to fit the relatively smaller sizes in the socket end, it is obvious that a combination of eight sizes is possible. .The principle thing is that there is .a'multiplicity of combinations available on this simple double-ended brace wrench. Again, it mightbe desired toput'on more than two socket receiving sections. It would be'very simple to so determine the respective sizes sothat any reasonable number might be formed on each end.

To retain the sockets. the ends are pro vided with narrow flexible bands'of spring metal 20 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 bowed at their centers and fastened on their endsrigidly to the collar 21 on the extreme end and movable'under the collars 21 on the other or inner end portion 12. A pin or solder is sutficient toretain the outer end while an adequate slit or groove 22 in the collar 21 will allow the other end to slide therein. The collar 21is properly spaced and held by the extension piece 23 which also aids in guiding thesocket.

. The typical socket 16 shown in Fig. 8 is formed with two hardened nut receiving ends 16 andlti of the desiredsizejoined by a tubular section :16 on'which is a rotatable sleeve or ferrule 16 to provide afreely Many other combinations might be turning hand grip. Each of the ends of the socket is adapted to fit closely over the ends 7, V

of the socket receiving portions 12 or 12 depending upon its size while the other end of the socket is available to be placed over a nut or bolthead to remove or tighten it, this socket member having freely rotatable handle grips 1 6 or 18 acting as a hand grip.

wrench will be usedon. The showing is of the typical 5/8 socket end. Of course each socket is in reality composed of two-separate and distinct-ends of different sizes, joined by a spacing section. i 1

A slight modification of the means for resiliently retaining the socket on the brace is shown in Fig. 7 in which the projecting end 30 of the brace beyond the nut or socket engaging portions 80 and 30 is provided with a spacing member 31. Suitable holes 32 are drilled to receive ball engagingmeinbers33 resiliently projected outward by springs 34 and then the recesses are suitably peened over on theouter edges at 35 to "permanently retain the ball members. is equally as effective as the first form and merely illustrates a ditferentform.

It will be understood that whenthe larger end ofa socket is attached'to a brace, it will fit over the larger socket receiving portion;

and hence,will fit closer tothebend in the end adjacent the sides 10*. In Fig. 1, both of the relatively smaller ends are shown cooperating with the socket receiving portions. hen it is desired tohave the larger nut'receiving end of the socket exposed, it is merely necessary to draw the, socket me mben oil longitudinally to the brace end, reverse ita-nd.

reapply the smaller end of the socket to socket receiving end on the brace.

Due to the' fact that the socket receiving section on the end of the brace is substantially the same size as the nut orbolt head which the open end is applied to,'it is possible to exert a much greater force-on the wrench without twisting the parts out of shape. In otherwords, besides the'increased use of the wrench due to the multiple combinations on the each end, a very weak link in'the average wrench,namely, the reduced shank, has been done away with. The sockets too" are made with fewer. operations. and at a lesscostgbecause the ends which have to be exactly formed in any event, are connected together and no other machining is necessary. The

Such a construction n substitution of a useable socket for the handle, which has no other beneficial use is also a material economy.

' Another adaptation of this Wrench is that in connection with removing demountable "wheels from an automobile when, as for example, a tire goes flat. In such cases, the retaining lugs on present day disc or wire wheels are out of reach of ordinary wrenches, and the obstacles of the various sizes, tight and rusted nuts, and the intervening spokes or hub parts are done away with by use of the herein described tool. At the same time, the other socket is acting as a substantial hand g P- While I have shown certain partlcular details of construction to clearly illustrate my invention in accordance with the patent statutes, I am aware that other modifications may i be'made within the spirit and scope of the invention and I, therefore, desire protection on a broad interpretation of the invention .withinthe limits of the appended claims.

I claim:

2 '1, A socket wrench of the type described,

comprising a brace shaped handle portion, the aligned ends of which comprise polygonal turning members of dilferent sizes and adapted to selectively receive the polygonal sockets of double ended elongated tubular socket members, extensions beyond said polygonal' turning members adapted to project into and support said tubular socket members adjacent their outer ends, and double ended tubular socket members having ends of different sizes adapted to be received upon each of said extensions, one end of each of said socket members engaging a turning member andthe other end engaging the part to be turned,

40 the portion of said socket member intermediate the sockets having rotatable sleeves thereon whereby it may selectively be used as a nutengaging member or as a non-slip handle.

2. A socket wrench of the type described, comprising a brace shaped handle portion, having polygonal turning members of difierent size adjacent the bends thereof, supporting members extending outwardly from said turning members and reversible double ended tubular socket members having end sockets of difierent'size mounted on said extensions and which may be held and turned in the hand, the inner end of-the socket members being adapted to selectively engage the turning members, while the outer end of the socket members are adapted to engage a nut, the sup- I porting member supporting the socket member adjacent the nut engaging portion.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signatureto this specification.

Y BURTON A. RUSSELL. 

